


About pepperoni pizzas and falling in love

by wllgardners



Category: Code Black (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-04
Updated: 2017-03-04
Packaged: 2018-09-28 05:13:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10073603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wllgardners/pseuds/wllgardners
Summary: Most of the great stories are defined by a crucial moment. Theirs certainly was the time he brought her pizza.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: None of the characters belong to me (sadly)

**Post Demons and Angels (2x04)**

 

Glaring at her wristwatch, Leanne realized shift had ended about a couple hours ago. She figured the sun had already rose in the clear skies of Los Angeles, putting an end to the last chilly night of October. Not much before this moment right there, she had the impossible task to make the phone call no mother wants to receive. Since disengaging from her conversation with Mrs. Piel, Leanne had locked herself in her office, avoiding contact with the outside world as she tried to process the events of earlier.

 

Drawing a parallel between Charlotte and her two children was inevitable at this point. Three kids who had their bright promising paths destroyed in tragedies beyond anyone’s comprehension. Doctor Piel was supposed to be saving lives, not having her own robbed by some junkie guy with a gun in the middle of the waiting room. But then again, as remarkable as this young girl was, her last conscious act in this world was shielding a child from an imminent bullet. Leanne’s lips curled to a sober smile once the thought crossed her mind; Charlotte Piel died a real doctor.

 

She was absentmindedly doodling on a piece of paper on her desk. The painful train of thought, she’d been immersed in since the incident was suddenly interrupted by the sound of knocks on her door. “Come in.”

 

While opening the door slowly, a familiar face peeked through the newfound space between the door and its frame. Ethan stared at her, a sympathetic half smile gracing his face. “How are you?”

 

Leanne’s response was to shrug. Guilt, regret, sorrow. Although all of these emotions were involved, none of these words seemed to quite express her feelings right now.

 

“I figured you’d pull a double today,” his voice was tender, showing a truthful concern towards her. “Can I come in?”

 

“Of course,” she muttered, dropping the pen she still held and motioning for him to sit down on the chair right across from hers.

 

He slipped inside the office, his full figure standing right in front of her made it easier to realize he’d been carrying a pizza box in one hand. The man settled on the spot she previously pointed and placed that pizza box on her desk, his hands landing flat on the white cardboard. Noticing how she raised an eyebrow at him inquiringly, Ethan’s smile grew wider briefly.

 

“If you’re not going to sleep, the least you can do is eat something. Unless you’re planning on fainting in the middle of Central Stage,” his joking tone managed to light up her mood momentarily.

 

“Fair enough,” she nodded back, a slight grin accompanied by a scoff were her reactions to his little attempt to humour her.

 

“So, dig in,” he stated a tad more excitedly as he opened the box lid. “I hope you like pepperoni pizza.”

 

Her sight fell on the round dough, topped with a great amount of cheese and several slices of pepperoni. The delicious smell of food spreading all over her office until find its way to her nostrils. Her stomach growled in response, causing to acknowledge she was indeed starving.

 

She picked up one slice by its crust, taking a quick bite at the tip of the pizza slice. Closing her eyelids for a split of second, she let out a hum as her tastebuds were invaded by the fantastic taste of the perfect combination of ingredients. “This is amazing,” her hand flies to cover her mouth as she speaks in between chewing the pizza.

 

“I know, right?” Ethan now gazed at her with a big grin. Not his fault if she looked adorable eating pizza. He took a couple of bites of his own slice before changing the direction of the conversation. “Leanne, I’m your friend, aren’t I?”

 

She drifted her eyes from the pizza at hand to his, her brows furrowed for she didn’t have a clue what was going on all of sudden. “Uh, yes.”

 

“Good,” he joked once again before his expressions turned into serious ones. “Look, I probably don’t know you for half as long as other people here. But it’s not too hard to see you’re blaming yourself in all this. It’s really not your fault.”

 

Leanne sighed, dropping the bitten pizza crust on the box. She looked up, trying to conceal her now watery eyes. Her lips pressed together as she closed her eyes shortly, her voice clearly pained when she finally formed a sentence. “She asked me not to go to the waiting room. I should have listened to her.”

 

“Or I could have ignored you and taken her with me anyway. Or Campbell shouldn’t have put her on probation. Or maybe Savetti should have never discharged the meth addicted,” he watched as her eyes once again questioned him. “My point is, we all could have avoided it had we known it was going to happen.”

 

“Still…” she had no strength to continue.

 

“You did your absolute best. Don’t beat yourself up for something that was beyond your control,” surprisingly enough, his reassuring voice actually made her feel slightly better, at least for now.

 

“Thank you, Ethan,” her tone was still weak, although this time it was filled with gratitude. Her eyes locked with his right before her lips parted.

 

It felt different to hear she calling him by first name. This was the first time it had happened, and as odd as it was, her low voice speaking  _ his _ name created several goosebumps to form on his skin. His heart quickly skipped a beat. He fought bravely to suppress whatever this wave of unexpected feelings were. After some time, he managed to flash her a full smile, filled with sympathy and caring. 

 

What he couldn’t suppress though, was his hand sliding across the table and landing on her own. His palm tapped gently twice on the back of her hand in a comforting gesture. Little did he know she felt similar goosebumps and the sensation that her heartbeating had spiked as soon as he touched her. She mentally prayed that her cheeks hadn’t blushed with such act.

 

“I got your back,” he spoke truthfully, their gazes still connected.

 

She took her hand from under his and grabbed another slice of the pizza. He did the same, and they both enjoyed this meal in comfortable silence. A few glares being exchanged every now and then.

 

“You got it right, pepperoni pizza is my favorite,” she commented eventually, causing both of them to softly chuckle.

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback is always welcoming  
> Thanks again to Tae for being an amazing beta.


End file.
